The Cherry Blossom Tree (New Ver)
by kazykim13
Summary: (This is an updated version of an old fic). AU: Mulan and Aurora are finding a way to bring Phillip back. Whose life will be forever broken when one disappears?
1. Chapter 1

It was a warm day in the garden this afternoon. I was sitting next to the fully-grown cherry blossom tree as the blossom petals fell upon my head as I felt the warmth of the sun above me. I glanced up and smiled at the falling petals gently brushing them away watching them glide down with ease. I placed my fingers upon the fallen petals feeling the smoothness that shuttered my spine every time.

I then rested my pale cheek against the tree, the roughness of the bark slightly scratching me, but I felt my whole body become one with this tree.

And, I felt _her_ near again.

Suddenly, I was ripped away from my solitary moment. One of the maids was calling for me in the distance, but I failed to move or even acknowledge her. I wanted to stay near to the cherry blossom tree forever. I ignored the maid as I closed my eyes envisioning _her._ Her long, black silk hair that was always up in a warrior's ponytail, but when it was down, it was just as beautiful and graceful. Her strong jaw outlining her stronger facial structure, but she had the softest and most inviting chestnut eyes I have ever laid my own eyes upon.

"Queen Aurora! Have you been here this whole time?!" The maid asked as she caught her breath smiling as she approached me. "I seem to always find you here at the edge of the garden with this tree!" She laughed out as she approached me closer, trying to take my arm to help me up. My maid, Marian, was younger and she reminded me of myself in my youth. She was peculiar.

I slowly turned her way, away from the tree, and looked at her with somber eyes, "Marian, have you noticed?" Marian looked at me with surprise, probably not aware that I had become filled with bitterness.

"I...uhm...Queen, I have not..." she removed her hand from me and bowed her head in respects to my sudden saddened mood, thinking it was her fault. I glanced beside me, at the tree's dark bark smiling to myself before I addressed Marian.

I reached up to her lightly tapping her shoulder watching her sheepishly look up, "Marian, let me tell you something I have never told anyone before. It is the reason why I care so much for this simple cherry blossom tree." I motioned for her to sit next to me for this was a long story, and a personal one. Marian sat next to me, not too close to still show her respects of her status, but I prompted her to sit closer. I didn't want her to feel any different, especially from what I was about to tell her. I knew after this she will see me in a completely different light.

My lips curled to perfection as I began, "It was long ago..."

*Flashback*

Rush of adrenaline pumped heavily throughout my veins as I ran through the unknown dense forest. The blur of green and brown flashing past as I held on tightly to the hand that fiercely pulled me along.

"Hurry! We need to hurry!" She called out in between her heavy breaths. What was behind us was more frightening than anything I have seen before. Even more frightening than seeing Phillip's soul being devoured by the Wraith. Suffering spirits were chasing us from my earlier accident within the Cave of Souls.


	2. Chapter 2

I had unintentionally tipped over a vase breaking it, and within the vase were unknown souls that have been suffering in whatever place they were kept inside. Then, what seemed like a million spirits, came screeching and howling out as though they have been trapped in a horrible place for many generations.

In the rush of the moment, she had grabbed my arm as tightly as she could and pulled me from the broken vase, protecting me from whatever evil was upon us. She removed her sword with such swiftness, I had barely noticed the steel dispelling the evil souls.

"Go, go!" She called out pushing me back toward the entrance of the cave.

"Mulan! What about-"

"I'll be right behind you! Just go!" Mulan shot a small grin before swinging at more spirits that began attacking only her. I watched her with worry, but knew she could keep her own. I hurried toward the opening of the cave walls as Mulan kept protecting the both of us, but not even reaching the outside, l I saw a blur of red and black rush past me. As this figure passed me, I felt my arm being pulled along and my whole body leapt ahead with such force I almost fell.

It was Mulan.

She glanced back at me with a whimsical smile as she told me to keep up as we ran on.

Before I knew it, Mulan heaved to a stop. My whole body fell forward onto her, almost pushing her over a bit, only to realize we were at the edge of a cliff side. She hastily looked around for somewhere to go and pulled me again toward wherever her mind was set for. We found ourselves hiding in the crevasse of an indented hill near the cliff's edge. I knew we were hanging over the edge, with one wrong step we could have been dead, only because Mulan kept her whole arm across my chest, keeping me trapped against the dirt wall. Keeping me safe. I felt my eyes wander all around wanting to take in the magnificent view that was in front of us. We had barely any time to enjoy the nature that was all around, only because we were on a mission to find Phillip. My mind blanked for a moment, until I felt my eyes roam toward Mulan. I looked at her like I had never looked at her before, there was a certain warmth I felt as I stared on. I carefully looked at Mulan focusing on all of her. Her features, her strong jaw line, her tan skin, and her dark chestnut eyes. Even though they were filled with seriousness most of the time, they were the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen. Her attention was elsewhere, still listening for the spirits, but all I noticed was her, standing beside me. All of the worries and fears that I felt had grown slack within me as she stood strongly and confidently. As she kept me safe.

She look toward me for the first time this whole time obviously about to say something to me, but she noticed my eyes didn't falter. And we just stood staring at each other. I noticed her lips that were parted, closed gently. I felt my heart all at once flutter and pound unknowing what had become of me. I gulped down what seemed like a rock, because the pain had consticted my throat as I swallowed. I saw her eyes wandered down toward what I assumed where my lips were and quickly went back up to match my gaze again. Her lips slightly parted again, the dryness of her lips and cracks from our long journeys showed, but still look supple and soft. I saw her step from her place, coming near me. I felt weary all of sudden realizing her whole body came in front of me, her hands placed themselves beside me as her body engulfed mine. I felt my knees quiver from fright and weariness because her face was so near. Just one wrong look or movement and we would be touching. Her breaths had quickened as they let out near my ear. I felt the warm breaths upon my exposed neck as she stood unmoving in front of me.


	3. Chapter 3

"Mulan...?"

I barely croaked out, but she interrupted sternly whispering, "Keep quiet Princess!" I felt my mouth shut from her seriousness, holding my breath from fright. Then, I heard the shrieks of the spirits from the distance, coming closer. I felt a violent wind pick up around us, but Mulan did not waver from her spot. She stood like a statue. I peered over her body and saw a Spirit wandering out in the cliff's edge. It was searching all around, but for some reason it did not see us. I knew I had seen the Spirit spin our way a few times before it headed off. I released my breath only now noticing I had held it in for so long.

Mulan stayed put until she felt it was safe.

"Okay Aurora, it's safe." She said releasing her body from its position, slowly and carefully creeping off the edge toward the clearing. I shivered a bit from the sudden chill as she left my side. As we carefully walked off the cliff side, she held onto my hand helping me leave the edge safely. Her warm fingers wrapped themselves with mine and I felt my heart pound again.

After we got to safety, I saw her eyes look around then giving me all of her attention as she addressed me. "Next time, let's try not to break anything in a burial site?" Mulan smiled patting her pants down.

I blushed from her comment, " I didn't mean to make trouble. I'm sorry..."

Mulan stepped forward a bit confused, "Why are you sorry? Did anyone get hurt?" She asked stepping closer to me, making me blush even more.

"N..no?"

"Then there is no need to apologize." She flashed a small smile, giving me the courage to smile back. She looked up toward the sky and observed the sun telling me, "We must keep searching in the cave before nightfall."

Before she turned to head back toward the cave, I stopped her, "Shouldn't we make camp and just search tomorrow? It's getting fairly dark..." She looked at me contemplating the camp for a mere second. Her eyes darkening with seriousness, then she spoke again.

"I believe I found the vase the witch talked about." Mulan's stoic expression faded into a somberness I had never seen before as she spoke those words. I couldn't help but feel she was not at all in this mission as she intended to be. I felt her sadness and somehow I knew that she was not doing this for me, but she was doing this for herself. I wanted to speak out again, but she turned away quickly with a stone cold expression and walked on, calling me without looking my way again.


	4. Chapter 4

We came back to the eerie cave where the vases crowed the whole inner walls of the rock cave. Mulan was searching relentlessly for the vase the witch described.

In our previous journey, we had come across a witch within the land and she spoke of a Cave near the Castle. The Witch had told Mulan and I that if we headed to the outskirts of my kingdom and searched deep in the Black Forest, we would find a the Cave of Souls. Filled with vases of past and present trapped souls that the Wraiths would collect and store within this cave. She told us that we had to carefully look for a vase that looked peculiar in a way that our hearts would recognize. And to listen carefully for the calling soul.

Looking now in this cave, was making me almost laugh at her words, all the vases looked peculiar and magnificent. She also told us to tread carefully within the cave because only those who have witnessed the death of the perished soul one are only able to summon the soul out of the vase.

I searched each vase endlessly already feeling defeat only to suddenly ask the question that was in my mind this whole time.

"Why didn't that spirit see us when we were on the edge of the cliff?"

Mulan looked up at me with surprise, because it had been deathly quiet within the cave as we searched. She stared at me for a second before going back to her searching replying, "I don't know. They may only be able to see with sound or movements." I nodded trying to understand, but all I knew was Mulan had saved us both.

We began to venture deeper and deeper inside of the eerie cave, only to now here the echoes of spirits speaking and moaning out. It was almost as if these souls sensed our presence and wanted freedom from whatever eternity they were facing. But from learning from my mistake earlier, if we released any of the other souls they would come and devour us.

I stayed as close as possible to Mulan as she led the way through the cave. She kept her hand on her sword that rested within its holster, not wanting to take it out from fear of knocking over any more vases. I was much more careful from where I treaded now, I didn't want to make another incident.

It seemed like we were in the cave for days just roaming around endlessly for a certain vase a part from the millions that were here, like looking for a four-leafed clover in a meadow of clovers.

Suddenly, I remembered the feeling I had on the cliff side as I was staring at Mulan. I glanced her way watching her tirelessly search and search for what seemed like a lost cause. I felt my heart quicken and my blood rush to my cheeks from what I was about to ask her.


	5. Chapter 5

"Mulan...?" I called out curiously watching her every movement.

"Yes?" Mulan asks still looking as we walked.

"Do...do...you..." I stopped my words immediately afraid of what Mulan would think of me if I asked her:

_Do you love me?_

I suddenly felt the urge to ask her, but throat constricted and kept me from speaking anymore. I felt my head rush with thoughts and memories from all the time we had spent together, and only now did I realize my subtle feelings. It burst out now into the word that I thought I had felt for Phillip.

Mulan noticed my peculiar words and immediately stopped her searching and looked at me with worry, "Is everything alright?" I saw the anxiety and worry that flooded her eyes from my words, but also a hint of warmth. Or what I wanted to see of warmth.

"I was just wondering, Do you- like trees?" I felt my shoulders slump from the idiotic question I had asked. _Of all the things!_

Mulan gave a small smirk, she knew it wasn't what I was going to ask but she replied kindly, "I do. I feel that you can learn a lot from them." Mulan again left my gaze pacing as she talked on, "Yes. You can learn patience, companionship, and love from trees." I saw Mulan head nod a bit from her deep thinking as she almost seemed to be responding to her own question.

But, as I listened to her words, I smiled from the humor that she talked with. "You act as though they are a person!" I laughed, a bit jokingly from how Mulan described trees. It was almost surreal.

"In my village we believe that a tree contains a person's soul."

I slightly parted my lips with a gasp only now realizing she was serious.

"I-I'm sorry, I—" As I tried to apologize, Mulan raised her hand to show that I wasn't doing any harm to her reply. We stood in silence for a moment, only watching each other then excitement fell upon me. This had been the first time she had talked about her home town with me. In this moment, all I wanted to do was to cherish this moment.

After what seemed like centuries inside the cave, we decided to leave and search again in the morning.

I kept teasing Mulan as we set up camp because of my early suggestion to set up camp.

"l told you! We should have set up camp!" Mulan just shook her head every time I reminded her that I had been the first to bring camp up. I kept stealing glances Mulan's way as she set up the fire pit, the tents, the bedrolls, and even tonight's meal.

We sat around the crackling fire warming our bodies with the stars and moon's bright light upon us, I started to ask Mulan questions.


	6. Chapter 6

"Can I ask something?" I spoke out as we both stared up at the glistening night sky.

"Of course, Princess."

"Can I know more of what you were telling me about earlier?"

"And what was that?" Mulan asked with hesitance.

"About the trees." I silently whisper looking her way now, scared if she would shut me out from her past. Mulan, surprised, glanced from the sky to the fire, then looked up from the blaze kindly. Her eyes were gleaming from the fire's embers as she spoke on.

"I thought I had made trouble with my stories." She replied a bit flattered from my curiosity.

"Not at all! It was different, it made me think." Mulan smiled genuinely from my interest being peeked with this, so she continued with her explanation.

"Well, as I said before, we believe that trees can contain one's soul. It's an old folklore that may or may not be true. I just remember my mother always telling me to talk to the trees whenever I had the chance, because sometimes you could hear them talk back." Mulan began to laugh a bit from her answer. Her eyes gleamed with thrill of her memories from her childhood.

"What is it?" The corners of my lips curling into a smile wanting to join Mulan's flurry of joy.

"I just remember," she chuckle between words reminiscing in past memories, "I used to talk to the trees in our garden every moment I had! Of course I have never heard anything being spoken. But, sometimes I really felt that whoever possessed the tree listened to me." Mulan's genuine happiness and the talk of her past made me feel the immense delight and made me want to know more about this woman. This woman I felt a deep connection with.

Suddenly, I felt a strange air upon us. I looked at Mulan and saw her deeply thinking as her eyes darkened with somber. "And I remember all the times I had cried in that garden..." Mulan sat slumping a bit, remembering hardships she had in her past. I saw her countenance become troublesome just in these few seconds of her past. I saw the pain that her eyes harbored for all these years, all this agony being hidden.

I wanted to embrace her fragile body. She may have been a Warrior, but she was also a person with emotions. I tried so hard to keep my hands at my sides as I tried to thinking of something to lighten the mood.

"Maybe Phillip's soul is in a tree?" I grinned trying to show humor, wanting her depressed mood to pass. Her eyes lifted up slowly, toward mine. Her countenance changed and her lips curled into a beautiful smile.

She shrugged back, "Maybe."

As I laid in the bedroll Mulan had fixed for me, I began to realize the feeling that brewed within me. That these past few days with Mulan had awakened a deep love I wouldn't feel for Phillip. That she is more the woman I had originally thought she was. Mulan had opened up so much and smiled more often after we met. I started to really contemplate of telling Mulan to stop our search because I thought to myself that night.

_This would be enough._


	7. Chapter 7

The next morning the sun was shining as bright as a blazing fire in the dead of night. The sky was clear when we headed back into the cave without words. I was unusually quiet only because I was thinking hard about what had spread through my heart the night before.

In the early morning, the cave seemed less menacing and eerie then before, but I noticed Mulan was much chipper today than ever. I felt that it was all our talking from last night, but I couldn't be sure only because I was as silent as a frightened child. But, I did learn so much about this woman in a matter of hours. I felt I really knew Mulan, and I dare say, more than Phillip in our long hours together in this god-forsaken forest.

Even though we didn't exchange any words as we ventured into the cave, all I could do was stare at her long black hair as I walked behind her. Her hair seemed it would feel just as soft as silk or velvet. I reached up wanting to run my fingers through her hair, but I had stopped myself in the process. I saw my fingers tremble from the thought I had suddenly had.

_What are you doing?!_

I retracted my hand, squeezing it into a fist. I felt all these emotions that I have never felt before. Even with Phillip, the thumping in my heart and the trembling in my knees never happened. I felt that my heart was in a whirlwind because it had been pounding ever since I had set my eyes on this Warrior. I tried to find reason behind this feeling, only to tell myself,

_Maybe it's because we will actually find Phillip?_

I shook my head trying to shake away these emotions, looking down at the cave's grungy floor.

_Why can't I tell her...?_

I looked up toward the woman who walked ahead of me watching her cape sway as well as her hair. Her strong composure made me feel empowered and safe all the time, and all at once made my heart would flutter and grow weak. I was so badly to tell her how I felt, but my mind prevented what my heart wanted.

Then, I felt my voice whisper out without me realizing what I was saying.

"Mulan, Do you love me?"

Mulan abruptly stopped in her tracks her muscles tensing and immediately turned toward me, with the most fearful, "What?"

I felt my chest tighten and my heart pound even harder. I gulped from her sudden response, I didn't know what had possessed me for a moment for me to utter those words out loud. But I felt my body grow cold and stiff seeing Mulan's cold reaction. Mulan kept looking in my eyes with her serious deep-brown chestnut eyes, not saying a word. We stood staring at each other only for me to watch her step forward, her eyes wandering from my lips to my eyes. I felt our bodies beginning to grow closer as the heart rose from between us. We were almost touching until we suddenly heard a familiar voice.

Phillip's voice.


	8. Chapter 8

Mulan and I both jolted away, our attention was now toward his voice. It was close but echoes like it was distant. Mulan and I immediately rushed to his calling voice without a thought about what was happening. We checked every vase until we came across a very old looking vase that was emanating his voice. Its handles were broken off and looked as though the dust had already engulfed the beautiful paintings around the vase. I couldn't believe my ears, Phillip's voice was calling out from this very vase. I felt a smile come across my face for hearing Phillip still alive, but as I looked toward Mulan, who carefully took her sword out, her countenance was stiff and cold.

"Stand back Aurora." Her magnificent sword gleamed within the cave, even though there was no light to have it shine. I took a few steps back, glimpsing toward Mulan as I inched away from the vase. I wanted to stop her actions. I wanted to tell her how I felt and wonder if our lips were ever going to touch, but I stood silently staring at her.

_Mulan..._

Mulan's countenance was serious as she lifted her sword to strike the vase. Her eyes wavered toward me a bit then back at the vase with a strange glow in them. I only now saw the sorrow in her eyes, surrounding her, drowning her. Before I could interfere, she swung down hard into the vase. The sword seemed like it was deflected by some strange magic, because the vase glowed of white and blue as she tried to keep her sword down upon the powerful magic that prevented her with opening the vase. A powerful wind picked up as she kept her sword in place as Mulan struggled just to keep her sword down. As blinding light shot out, looking away, I heard the vase shatter with pieces violently flying all around, like the vase as burst open. I heard a few small stray pieces fall near my feet, but they never touched me. I heard a familiar deep breath be let out and as I opened my eyes, I saw Phillip standing in front of me. Alive. He looked all around himself then up toward me. I felt a big smile come across my face as our eyes met, what seemed like the first time in ages.

"Phillip!" More surprised than I should have been.

As I saw Phillip really in front of me, at the back of my mind I felt something strange come upon me. But, before I could even think twice about it Phillip came into an embrace.

"Aurora," He whispered under his breath as his arms squeezed me, "My love, Aurora." I closed my eyes knowing he was really her. Then, like a strike in the back I heard an awful groan sound out from behind the both of us. I quickly pushed Phillip away and saw Mulan staring at the both of us with the most peculiar countenance.

Then I saw it.


	9. Chapter 9

Her body shook with fear as she looked down at herself. Her arms were covering her chest and abdomen and as she moved her hands away, blood had drenched her hands. Shards of the vase penetrated her thick armor and painfully dug deep within her body. She quickly covered herself again for the sake of honor. Not wanting to show a weakness.

"Mulan!" I shrieked out as her sword fell from her hands. The steel screeched against the cave floor like a screaming baby. I saw her fall to her knees still holding herself wanting the blood to stop. My hands immediately reached for hers for comfort. Blood dripped from the front of her of her knuckles, and when I wrapping my fingers around hers, her hands were shaking so badly I couldn't even keep them still with my own.

"Phillip!" I yelled feeling the tears rush down my cheeks from my eyes. "We need to get her out of here!" Phillip quickly picked her up with all his might resting her on his back. I quickly grabbed her sword rushing to the outside of the cave.

"How long will it take to our kingdom?!" Phillip asked panicking unsure of where they were, or where they should go.

Mulan began to speak, but her speech was so garbled that I heard myself respond for her, "If we hurry, three hours!"

Phillip looked at me with astonishment, but moved forward without a second thought, "East yes?" I nodded as he quickly walked on toward Eastward. I was right behind him and Mulan, and all I could think about was what had happened and why she didn't say anything earlier. I felt the tears pour out as I saw Mulan, for the first time, defenseless and vulnerable. I walked a bit behind Phillip, wrapping my hand into Mulan's. I felt her fingers weakly cling onto mine. I looked toward her with grief and saw her eyes glued to me, those eyes that were once filled with so much happiness were now empty and helpless.

I mouthed toward her, "You'll make it." Mulan could barely give a smile before it slumped away wanting to show me that she was listening.

_You'll make it Mulan! Don't worry! _

_But,_I felt even my own words faltered.

After the three hours, we had made it into the kingdom, but it seemed longer then I had thought. It didn't matter anymore, all I wanted was Mulan to be safe. We came into the grounds of the castle, but I told Phillip to put Mulan down at the garden's edge, feeling it wasn't necessary to bring her all the way into the castle, wanting to spare time. Phillip immediately ran toward the abandoned castle, knowing I was going to stay with the Warrior. As I put Mulan laying in my arms, her breaths had become shorter and her chest heaved quickly up and down. Mulan was struggling for air. And all I could do was cry and have my fingers intertwined with Hers.


	10. Chapter 10

"Aurora..." I heard her barely mutter through a raspy voice. I just stared down at her, tears falling off my cheeks. "I'm not going to make it..." She confessed to me still trying to gather her strength to talk with me. Her eyes filled with tears as she spoke those words. We both knew it was true, but I didn't want to believe it.

"No, Mulan! You're going to make it!" I felt my chest tighten from the sudden emotions that rushed in for this woman. Mulan gently squeezed my hand with her fingers, wanting me to understand, but I couldn't. I frantically looked up for Phillip wondering where he was, but Mulan's hand raised itself to my face, her fingers caressing my cheek, wanting me calm down.

"Aurora..." her hand fell a bit, but I had caught it before it completely dropped.

"Yes...?" I whispered trying to keep my cries silent, squeezing her hand.

Mulan's eyes filled with little courage of what was left, "I love you." I felt my heart break, I loved her too, and it was only now I was realizing this or even mentioning it. I nodded crying still, I saw her weakly smiling toward me knowing this would be her last moment with me.

"I love you too-" I cried out leaning down near her, hearing her breath becoming slight and as her eyes began to grow faint.

Mulan struggled to speak but spoke on, "I had loved you ever since I had laid my eyes in you..." I felt her warm breaths against my ear as she tried to breathe in, wanting to tell me everything now.

"Mulan, you would have been enough-I'm so sorry! I love you." I felt my voice falter as I spoke, knowing she was going be lost to me forever.

"Aurora..." I sat listening as she paused for a moment before she spoke. "They were cherry blossom trees...in the garden I had..." Her voice was beginning to sound weaker by the second. Tears began streaming down my cheeks immensely knowing she was fading quick. "Aurora...?" She whispered with all her might, wanting me to listen still. I shook my head not wanting her to leave me; to leave me alone. She could barely mouth the words, but I heard it as clear as day.

"I think I can finally hear them speak to me..." A single tear fell from her eyes as she closed them shut with a smile creeping across her face, and with one last heave of her chest, everything had gone silent.

"Mulan...? Mulan?!" I felt my whole body shake with fear and denial. I doubled over, leaned in near her face, just crying. "Don't leave me...because I love you..." I felt my lips touch Hers for the first time.

I hadn't imagined our first kiss would be like this.

Phillip finally came, but he saw me crying and cradling the woman, the woman whom I loved. I looked up at him with tears engulfing my whole face shaking my head. He felt immensely guilty and just stood there helplessly as I held Mulan for the last time.


	11. Chapter 11

*End Flashback*

After my story, Marian and I sat in complete silence now. I knew I had shocked her with my story of why I was always with this tree. But, to my surprise she thanked me for telling her this as she stood beside me. She offered me her hand to help me up, but I shook my head telling her, "I want to stay a bit longer. I hope you understand, child."

Marian nodded in agreement bowing her head, "Queen." She opened her mouth, but she hesitated to speak for a minute. Then, she arrived to the words. "Queen Aurora...?" she whispered, scared of what she was about to ask, "Do you love the King?"

I looked up at her knowing this question was bound to arise, but I was in loss of words.

_I love him-sometimes..._

"Child, sometimes...love is sacrifice." I grinned under my breath knowing Mulan was the one who had said those exact words to me the first time we had met. Marian smiled feeling she understood now and left me to be with the tree. I leaned my head against the soft bark and spoke softly, "Mulan, I hope you can hear me...because there's not a day where I don't think of you. Phillip has never known, and he will never know. I hope one day, we can meet again." I placed my hands in my lap, just listening to the soft breeze rustle the blossoms and buds. "I love you." I finally whispered feeling my heart flutter again, like it did all those years ago.

In the distance I heard Phillip and the children call out for me wondering where I had gone this whole time, thinking the maids hadn't found me yet. Phillip and the children found me in a matter of minutes as I saw my children run up toward me.

"Mother!" My darling Elizabeth called, coming closer to hug me. I took her in my arms along with Little Gregory, both being the same age; Nine.

"Sitting with the tree again I see." Phillip spoke out smiling as he reached for my hand to help me up. I grasped his hand smiling, picking up the children as well as he offered to walk back with me to the castle.

And in that slight moment as I walked away from the magnificent tree, past the rustling of the blossoms and leaves, I heard Mulan's faint voice call out to me.

_We will meet again one day, my love._

An exaggerated smile come across my face as I closed my eyes to feel my heart beat pound within my chest.

_I hear you Mulan... _

I breathed in the air around me knowing she was here with me, _as the cherry blossom tree._

The End


End file.
